This invention relates to a multi-way shut-off or diverter valve, comprising a fixed body that has an inlet connection and at least one outlet connection one or the other of which is connected to the inlet connection.
Shut-off and diverter valves are commonly inserted between a flow control device, for example, a mixing faucet or a thermostatic valve, and two or more units that can be supplied under the control of the device. For example, a device of this kind can make it possible to supply, as desired, the tap of a bathtub, a handheld shower head, a shower with a fixed head, and possibly some other hydraulic delivery unit. Often these types of valves have a driven mobile valve element rotatable about an axis to bring about the desired fluid connection between the inlet connection and a selected one of the outlet connections.
A diverter valve of this kind can easily be made by using small plates made from hard material, such as ceramics or structural plastics. However, many common designs demand that these thin plates assume a relatively considerable diameter. The enlarged diameter of the valve in addition to being expensive contribute give rise to excessive wear and tear that often interferes with the operation of the valve.
What is needed is a valve of the type indicated which will not have any great degree of wear or tear and which will therefore be easily operated. What is also needed is to have a diverter valve that can be easily manufactured on an industrial scale and be relatively economical.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a valve device is operably interposable between a flow control device and at least one fluid delivery unit that can be supplied under the control of the valve device. The valve device includes a fixed body with an inner facing surface and a rotatable valve member. The fixed body has a respective facing surface that has an inlet connection and at least one outlet connection radially spaced from said inlet connection. Preferably, the fixed body has at least two outlets at its inner facing surface both being equally spaced from the inlet in the fixed body.
The rotatable valve member has a respective facing surface that is rotatable about a common axis with the inlet connection. The rotatable valve member is movable to selectively open and close fluid connection between the inlet connection of the fixed body and one of the outlet connections of said fixed body member.
Either the fixed body or rotatable valve member houses a first sealing member sealingly biased against the facing surface of the other of the fixed body or rotatable valve member. Preferably, the first sealing member is seated in the fixed body and sealingly biased against the facing surface of the rotatable member about the inlet opening. Alternatively,the first sealing member is seated in the fixed body and sealingly biased against the surface of the rotatable member about the inlet opening.
The rotatable member has an internal conveyance duct that has an inlet opening on its surface co-aligned with the inlet connection in the fixed body and the axis of rotation. The internal conveyance duct has an outlet radially spaced the same distance from the inlet of the rotatable member as the at least one outlet in the fixed member is spaced from its respective inlet connection.
A respective second sealing member is seated either in one of the outlets in said fixed body or the outlet in the rotatable member and is biased against a surface of the other of said rotatable member and fixed body. Preferably the respective sealing member is positioned at the outlet end of the conveyance duct and biased to abut the inner facing surface of the fixed body. The sealing members are preferably made from elastomeric material and are biased by a respective spring. In an alternate embodiment, the members are made from elastomeric material that are biased by their own resilient elasticity. In another embodiment, the respective sealing members are collars made from rigid material pushed by springs and provided with a retaining packing.
Preferably, the respective second sealing member in either the rotatable valve member or fixed body can be completely misaligned from any of the outlets in the other of the rotatable members or fixed body and sealingly closes the duct from the outlet in said fixed body to form a stop valve.
In one embodiment, the rotatable valve member is assembled to a second rotatable member. The conveyance duct is determined by the configuration in the nature of a cavity presented by the respective facing surfaces of the juxtaposed rotatable valve member and second rotatable member. Preferably, either the rotatable valve member or second rotatable member is linked to a driving device and a torque transmitter is provided between the second rotatable member and rotatable valve member.
It maybe desirable to include a resiliently biased detent release member to be positioned between the fixed body and the rotatable valve member and engaging a notch or debossment to provide an indication of the correct operating position of the valve where one respective sealing member is exactly aligned about the other of the outlets in the rotatable member and one outlet in the fixed body.
It is also desirable to include a stop limiter interconnected between the fixed body and rotatable valve member for limiting the rotational movement that the rotatable member may have with respect to the fixed body.